Lakers’ Austin Reaves Has Brutal Take on Being a White Player in the NBA

The Los Angeles Lakers are coming off a massive win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, helping their case for the upcoming playoff run. Los Angeles clinched a playoff spot, ensuring that they won’t dip below the top six of the Western Conference standings.

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As the year has gone on, guard Austin Reaves has emerged as a true No. 3 scoring option for Los Angeles. It has helped their team grow stronger, and entering the postseason, the Lakers seem to be clicking.

But Reaves is still pushing through different stereotypes about his game, some that he can’t control. Reaves spoke about the stigma that he gets being a white player in the NBA, getting honest about it all.

“You know, as a white guy in the NBA, I sometimes look at white players and I’m like, ‘They’re not very good,'” Reaves told ESPN. “So, it’s a stigma that I think is real.”

Reaves has had to prove himself for a long time, but he’s found a home with the Lakers. Being an undrafted player was already tough, but playing alongside LeBron James made things even harder for him.

But it didn’t take James long to realize the talent that Reaves had. James spoke about this and opened up about his first impressions of the guard.

“I saw that early, man,” James told ESPN. “When we picked him up, I went back and started watching his Oklahoma highlights and stuff and seeing the way he could handle the ball and his creative [side], to be able to create shots off the bounce. His competitive fire, his drive. … I could see it. I could see he had a spirit about him. He had an energy about him.”

For the season, Reaves has averaged 20.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. His impact has allowed this team to push forward even more, and they rely on him every single time out.

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Los Angeles holds a record of 26-9 when Reaves scores 20 or more this season. In comparison, they are just 19-18 when he doesn’t, clearly showing a big difference in his impact.

As the team gets ready for the postseason, they will be relying on Reaves even more. Reaves doesn’t care about the stigmas but rather just wants to win basketball games for his team.

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